I'm in a stage that I like to call the "Bipolar Stage" of parenting. I'm on a high one minute and a low the next. Mimi just turned 4 -- and, no, I'm still not ready to talk about it. Not ready to talk about how big "4" sounds and how she's acting a bit more mature and independent. Not. Even. Ready to not consider her a baby. And Mack is about to turn 2, which is scaring the complete shit out of me. No, you don't have to blink and re-read that line. The older Mack gets, the more he scares the complete shit out of me.
One minute is fantastic and breath-taking and makes me want to write a book about how I have an amazing attitude and patience and how this parenting little ones thing is so much fun. And the next minute I'm afraid John Stossel is going to jump out from behind the couch to tell me he is working on a segment about mothers who are borderline crazy.
So this summer has been a bit nuts -- mainly in good ways -- and the poor blog has gotten neglected. I want so badly to be that amazing woman who raises interesting children and writes about it in a weekly blog post . . . so I've got the "interesting children" part down, but the rest of that isn't working out so well for me. And since I read some where that people like to see lists and numbers, I'll make this a lists and numbers post to try to fill you in on a bit of the Darby life.
1. Our home has been occupied with visitors (all welcome, of course) since the middle of May. It was been wonderful to share our home with so many fun people, but no one is allowed for a while. It's not that I don't love guests. It's that I don't love washing sheets and towels and unloading the dishwasher. If you don't mind dirty sheets or eating off paper plates, then please let me know when you'll be in town.
2. We've tried our best to enjoy more of this awesome city this summer with our guests, which you should know all about it my husband is your FB friend. He finally got an iPhone and has tagged himself at every location in this city that he possibly could. But if you're trying to rob our home when he's tagging away, just know that our babysitters can take you down. I do have photos and fun stories, but I just had a bit of a panic attack when I downloaded photos from my camera to my computer. I mean, it's a bit ridiculous. I'll save that for another day when my child is sick again.
3. On that note, Mimi is sick. Dad, stop worrying and please don't call me about this. She has a cold. A basic stuffy nose and funky cough and goopy eyes. She's so, so very sweet when she's sick and even puts herself down for a nap, but, my word, she's been a whiny little thing who flips her lid if I try to leave her side for a drink of water or to use the bathroom. She's been crying and saying things to me like, "Why are you going to the kitchen to make lunch? Do you not want to play ponies and Barbies with me?? Waaahhhh!! You don't want to be my friend anymore?? Waaaahhh!!" I'm trying so hard to be patient and understanding, but the way I've been raising my voice and jumping at the chance to leave the house by myself just to take out the garbage tells me that John Stossel is probably working hard spying on this crazy momma.
4. Mack is a holy terror. Oh. My. Cuss words. I don't know what happened to my little fuzzy-headed chicken, but he is more like a beast. I've become calling him Bam Bam because he literally destroys everything in his way. Toys, food, sippy cups, my hips. I'm not kidding. I'm actually going to physical therapy because I have pulled tendons or ligaments or muscles or something in my hips from wrestling this wild thing. I've also done something to my wrist but I don't really have time to deal with that now. Most of the time he is still so sweet and cute, and then I will pick him up, he'll show me his sweet smile, and will then slap me as hard as he can across my cheek. Holy crap. Clint was trying to snuggle with him on the couch last night, and I think he took a foot and knee and elbow to the face about ten times. And he doesn't like to talk. He can say some words, and he completely understands what is said to him. But he would rather point and yell and throw things than say the words.
5. Mack climbed out of the crib about a week ago, and I thought that life as I know it had ended. His afternoon nap is literally the only time I can unload the dishwasher or wash clothes or really do anything because he is into absolutely everything while he's awake. I took the advice about strategies from about twenty different people, and luckily something has worked. I don't know how much longer this will last, but my next option is a straight - jacket. There's some more material, Mr. Stossel.
6. Mimi has been at summer camp a couple of afternoons a week all summer, and I'll have to admit I'm a little jealous. Just the word "camp" brings up all kinds of warm and fuzzy feelings about silly songs and swimming and wearing t-shirts and tennis shoes. It seems so "big kid" to me to be able to do that. Her teachers call her Jellyfish and have taught her some fantastic songs that I totally remember from camp. Oh, and she's been doing awesome at swim lessons. Just a few weeks ago, she was that kid who sat on the side of the pool and told her instructor exactly what she was NOT going to do, and now she's jumping off the side and swimming like a fishy (with a light flotation device, of course). I'm kind of hoping for a most improved award or something at the end of all of this.
7. We hit our 2-year anniversary in Chicago. And I continue to love this new city and the new friends we've made. Clint has some really cool clients and co-worker. I have made some wonderful girlfriends who are also amazing moms. We've found some precious girls who love our children more than we could imagine. And my monkeys have made some adorable friends who are just as silly as they are. There's still so much to do and so much to explore, and I've loved sharing it with our visitors. The weather has been fantastic in the summer and Midwestern people are just so genuinely nice. In case you've wondered, we are definitely sticking around for a while to see what the future holds. Oh, and an almost four-year-old little girl just moved into the building. You better believe Mimi is excited about what the future holds :).
So this is just a short synopsis, and I'll get to more once I can focus on the photos. Life has been fun and busy and crazy. Just the way it should be . . .
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